"Alright, Miss Bai, take a look."
In the makeup room, a masked stylist finished tidying up her tools, while another gently pushed the makeup mirror toward Bai Yi.
The soft, warm glow from the mirror lit up Bai Yi’s flawless face. Her slightly tousled bangs were neatly fixed, and her eyelashes, delicate as butterfly wings, frad her starry eyes.
After a quick glance, she smiled slightly.
"Looks good. Thank you."
"Great! We’ll head outside to assist with the preparations. If you need anything, just call us, Miss Bai."
"Mm."
The two stylists left the room, and Bai Yi glanced at her phone. No new ssages on Plane.
"Still no call from the director?"
With no notice to start shooting the MV, Bai Yi rose from her seat, deciding to look for Yan Huan instead.
As she walked down the corridor leading to the backstage area, a male voice floated out from a nearby room.
"You’re saying the male lead for today’s MV... is Ye Lan from Ye International’s adopted son?"
Bai Yi paused mid-step, her ears catching the unexpected conversation.
The room was a designated smoking lounge, separated by clear glass panels. The sign on the door read: Smoking Room.
Inside, two n in black suits, wearing Golden Lion Group badges, were chatting casually, cigarettes between their fingers.
The second man chuckled in response, his voice dripping with amusent.
"Adopted son? More like... a child husband."
"Child husband?"
Even the other man sounded surprised.
Outside the glass, Bai Yi’s own steps halted completely. She, too, frowned slightly at the term and turned her gaze toward the room.
The n inside, facing away from the corridor, remained oblivious to her eavesdropping.
The first man, still smirking, spread his hands as he continued,
"Ye Lan wasn’t even planning to attend this MV shoot at first. But guess who dragged her over here? Her daughter. Saw the kid and was hooked imdiately. You weren’t there, man—if you saw the way that girl was staring at him from the sidelines... Well, tell —what kind of ‘sister’ looks at her ‘brother’ like she’s about to eat him alive?"
Bai Yi’s eyes narrowed.
That look...
She instantly recalled the icy, bone-chilling gaze Ye Shiyu had thrown at both her and Yan Huan earlier.
It wasn’t just a look—it was possession.
Inside the smoking room, the other man took a slow drag of his cigarette and sighed,
"Now that you say it... it does seem off. Though honestly, I thought that guy was Bai Yi’s boyfriend. They looked pretty compatible to ."
"Compatible? Pfft." His companion scoffed with a sneer.
"Compatibility doesn’t an squat. Ye International’s daughter sets her eyes on sothing... you think so little starlet can compete with that?"
He chuckled coldly, shaking his head,
"Bai Yi’s still too green. Doesn’t know how cutthroat this world is. If Ye Lan’s kid decides to flick her wrist, that little celebrity career of hers could go up in smoke."
"True."
Outside—
Bai Yi leaned against the corridor wall, her lips pressing into a thin line.
The sting of their words cut deep, and with it ca a familiar urge—to run, to hide.
But...
Where could she even hide? She was alone here. There was nowhere to retreat.
So—
She had to face it.
The truth.
And the truth was... yes.
She liked Yan Huan.
It was more than a crush.
When she had stood, trembling and terrified on that convention stage—when her mother’s endless criticism and her own self-doubt had nearly crushed her—
It was Yan Huan who had been her lifeline.
With just one line—"I’ll handle it."—he had turned her chaos into calm.
Because of him, she had kept singing. Because of him, people had listened.
Because of him, her music had finally been heard.
Without him—there would be no contract, no MV shoot, no Golden Lion endorsent.
He had risked everything and asked for nothing.
How could she not have feelings for him?
But... what about his feelings?
For Yan Huan... Was she anything more than a fan?
Probably not.
But that was okay... right?
If he didn’t feel it yet, she could make him feel it.
It wasn’t impossible. A woman chasing a man... it’s just a thin veil between them.
If she stayed close—if she tried hard enough—maybe...
Just maybe.
But—
In her mind’s eye—
Ye Shiyu’s cold, dead, doll-like stare returned.
Empty... and yet all-consuming.
A gaze that said: He’s mine.
That wasn’t just a woman’s stare. That was a beast’s.
And it terrified her.
Because Ye Shiyu wasn’t just terrifying. She was... untouchable.
Her family’s power alone could crush Bai Yi into dust—without even noticing.
And so...
Bai Yi felt that old, suffocating instinct rise—Run. You can’t win. You’ll only get hurt.
Her pace slowed. Her shoulders dropped.
And her heart whispered bitterly:
What’s the point?
Yan Huan doesn’t even like
that way.
And Ye Shiyu... is a monster.
I’m nothing. I can’t fight her. So... why not let it go?
A forced smile tugged at her lips.
A normal fan-idol relationship... That’s enough, isn’t it?
Why make it complicated?
Her lips said "let go."
But...
Her chest felt... tight.
Because her mind replayed—
That day on the convention stage.
When the music had started... unplanned. Unrehearsed.
When fear had paralyzed her.
When her mother’s scorn had scread in her ears—You’ll fail. Just like always.
But then—
His voice.
“I’ll handle it.”
And the chaos... vanished.
The mory hit her—
And her feet...
Stopped.
“......”
Her head dipped—
Her teeth clenched—
And then—
Bang!
Her fist slamd, sharp and sudden, into the wall beside her.
Anger flared. Hot and raw.
Her voice shook with it—
"So what... She has money, and that’s supposed to an she can just take what she wants?!"
Her nails dug into her palm.
"Just because she’s rich and powerful, everyone automatically decides he belongs to her?!"
A bitter laugh scraped her throat—
"What a joke."
Ye Shiyu...
That cold, inhuman doll of a person...
Nothing about her felt real. Nothing about her felt... human.
But sohow, because of her last na—
Everyone just assud Yan Huan was already hers.
Like he was... property.
It made Bai Yi’s skin crawl.
But—
She couldn’t fight it.
Because reality was...
She couldn’t win.
She had no family. No power.
Even Uncle Jiang wanted her to build ties with Ye Lan for business.
Even her own mother—Zuo Jiangqin—was giving her the cold shoulder over her singing career.
They were right.
She had nothing.
Her fists trembled... with helplessness.
But then—
A flicker—
A thought—
And her breath caught.
Because—
Her palm felt... sothing.
A sudden weight—
A cold, tallic presence.
Bai Yi’s eyes lowered—
To her hand.
A—
Pocket watch.
Intricate. Polished.
Its once-still hands—
Shivering.
Her lips parted—
She hadn’t even realized she summoned it.
And then—
A whisper—
From her own heart—
"Yeah..."
Her voice was soft—almost... amused.
"I’m not like them..."
Her eyes...
Glinted.
"Because I—"
Tick... tick...
The watch’s hand...
Began to move.
"I... have powers."
滴滴...嗒嗒...
Soft, steady—like a heartbeat—
The watch ticked on.
But...
Her smile faltered.
Because...
Her power?
It was useless.
All it did... was make her... fade.
A power of... concealnt.
How... would that help her win him?
If Yan Huan liked Ye Shiyu...
Could she make him... turn back?
And if he didn’t like her...
Could she... steal him away?
Her gaze sank into the watch’s shifting face—
Searching—
For...
Sothing.
But—
The answers...
Weren’t there.
Yet.
Still—
She stopped standing still.
Her feet moved—
One step.
Then another.
Toward the director’s set.
And with every step—
Her fingers—
Gripped the watch tighter.
Bai Yi soon arrived near the set. Finding no answers from her thoughts, she tucked the pocket watch back into her pocket. With a quick adjustnt of her expression, she put on a slight smile and entered the area. “Yan Huan, I’m ba— Huh?”
No sign of Yan Huan. Instead, the director stood there, ramrod straight, his gaze fixed in a single direction—like a soldier on guard.
“Director, did you see where Yan Huan went?” Bai Yi kept her distance, her tone polite. He was, after all, her superior, not soone she was close to.
Without turning, the director finally spoke, “A girl nad ‘Ye Shiyu’ ca looking for him. He went with her.”
“...Ye Shiyu?” Bai Yi’s pupils shrank. Her brows imdiately furrowed. I leave for a second, and she’s already on the attack?!
“Director, where did they go?”
“That way.” The director gestured. Bai Yi turned toward the direction he indicated. The area was abuzz with activity, and her eyes skimd over the crowd.
Just as she was about to thank him and move on—her peripheral vision caught sothing. A tall figure, with sleek, straight black hair—slipping into a dim, secluded hallway.
Ye Shiyu.
Bai Yi’s lips parted slightly. She glanced back at the director, still standing stiffly, and felt a flicker of doubt. But—there was one possibility. She’s already t up with Yan Huan. Which ans... they’re together.
Wait—Alone.Him and her.In a deserted hallway?! Bai Yi’s eyes shot wide. Her heart skipped—then lurched into a sprint. “Thanks!” she called over her shoulder, yanking out her pocket watch and bolting after them.
Oh, no, no, no—you’re not—!
Her mind, far too vivid, painted the nightmare ahead—A dim, empty corridor. Ye Shiyu, forceful and cold, shoving Yan Huan against the wall—her fingers already tugging at his collar.
Yan Huan, panicked—his voice urgent, protesting—“Shiyu-jie, are you insane?! We’re in public—! And we’re siblings! You can’t—”
But Ye Shiyu’s gaze, chilling and sharp, lifted to his—“What? Are you planning to defy Ye International?”
Yan Huan’s breath hitched—his face drained pale. The unspoken weight of Ye International crushed his voice—suffocated his fight.
The helplessness—The bitterness—The silent agony of being trapped under that colossal shadow.
And Ye Shiyu—her lips curving, eyes glinting with a twisted thrill—“Well then, Xiaohuan...” she whispered into his ear, “As punishnt for filming that MV with Bai Yi without my permission... I’ll teach you personally—while shouting ‘Ye Family Impact’ with every—”
The horrific fantasy slamd Bai Yi’s chest with a wave of icy dread—Her face went stark white.Damn it—!!!I won’t let you turn him into your... your...!
Her feet barely skimd the floor as she sprinted—Bai Yi—Mission: Save Private Yan Huan—ENGAGE!!!
The hallway around her flickered with dim, broken lights—Each flicker felt like the shadows of so abyss—like Yan Huan’s impending doom.
But—where—?! The hallway was too dark—too winding—She slowed, straining her ears—
And then—Voices.
Not Ye Shiyu’s icy domination. No. A different voice. Mocking. Cold. And dripping with scorn.
Spencer.
“Oh? He told
you’re just his sister. And not even a real sister—your surnas don’t match. No blood ties. Not family. And certainly... not soone he likes.”
Spencer? Bai Yi’s steps halted abruptly—Her body froze, breath caught—What the hell... is Spencer doing here?!
Without a sound, she pressed into the shadows—years of sneaking through the industry’s backdoors giving her the instincts of a natural spy. Her footsteps silent. Her presence... vanished. And her eyes—Locked onto the scene.
Ye Shiyu. Spencer. A showdown.
Bai Yi, hidden at the corner, peered through the angle—out of their line of sight. Her ears caught every word.
“So... Yan Huan sees her only as a sister?”No deeper feelings? Her heart gave a cautious, hopeful flutter—
But... Spencer’s an idiot. Big mouth, small brain—who knew if she was talking out of her ass again?
Bai Yi’s gaze flicked to Ye Shiyu’s face. The mont she saw it—Her lips twitched.
Ye Shiyu’s expression—Was blacker than coal. A murderous, seething, glitching puppet on the verge of cracking.
“Pfft—” Bai Yi clamped her hand hard over her mouth—nearly losing it. Ye Shiyu—absolutely livid.Oh, my god, you’re losing your mind, aren’t you?
And Bai Yi—Enjoyed every second.This... is premium drama.
And then—WHAM—! Spencer’s hand slapped Ye Shiyu’s phone clear across the floor—The screen exploded into a spiderweb of shattered glass.
Bai Yi’s eyes glead—Oh, this is delicious— The sister. The idiot. Both clawing at each other—And both—Losers.
Because to Yan Huan—Ye Shiyu was a sister. Spencer was a buffoon. Both—defeated dogs.
And ? His idol. His inspiration. The one he admired. The one who made his eyes shine.
What could they compare to that?Pfft. Bai Yi’s lips curled. She leaned into the wall, arms folded—fully ready to enjoy the show.
Let them fight. Hero vs. Hero. Wealth vs. Wealth. Two queens tearing each other apart—For a prize they could never win.
Because—Yan Huan? He wasn’t for them.
...And then—It hit her. A spark. A perfectlyrotten idea.
Her smirk sharpened—And her cheeks burned slightly—Because—Her mind—Suddenly flashed—To a certain doujin she’d picked up from the Hentai Club.
《Transparent Manipulation Series: The President Knows Nothing About Last Night~》
...Wait.What if... while they’re busy playing WWE...I... just... slip right past them...And... "say hi" to Xiaohuan... personally.
Her chest tightened—face flushing—Because the thought—Was outrageous. And also... Hot.
Because—In Unconcerned State—Her power—She could do anything. Yan Huan—Wouldn’t even notice.
And after? They’d still be smiling at each other like... Nothing. Ever. Happened.
Her pulse raced. Her throat—dry. A wild, forbidden heat—That had nothing to do with temperature.
But—More than the heat—Was the thrill.
Because—Ye Shiyu—Spencer—Both with their money, their power—Would be right there. And still—Completely powerless.
Because the idol—The nobody—Would walk away—With everything they wanted.
Her breath quickened—Fingers tightening over the cool tal of the pocket watch. The watch—Ticked—Faster.
... And with every tick—The idea—Stopped being fantasy. It beca... A plan.
...And then—A voice—Close—Too close.
“Shiyu-jie?”
Yan Huan.
The chain snapped. Reality hit her like a whip—Her body jerked, back pressed tight to the wall. Heart—Thundering.
Her fingers—sweaty, clutching the pocket watch. Her face—Scarlet. And the watch—Like a heartbeat—Sped.
The line—Between power—And temptation—Began to blur.
Because—What could Ye Shiyu’s brute force—Or Spencer’s arrogance—Ever achieve—Compared to this?
...And so—The watch—Spun. And Bai Yi’s lips—Curved.
"...Fools." She whispered—"I mock Ye Shiyu’s folly—" "And Spencer’s stupidity—" "You fight for him..." "But I..." "Will take him."
...And back to the present— The flash from her cara—Captured it all.
And her cheeks—Still warm—Her eyes—Glistening—Breath—shallow—Her fingers—Twitching—Reaching—Toward his—Skin.
Closer—And closer—
Under Yan Huan’s perfectly frozen smile—His eyes—Wide.
Bai Yi— ...What the hell are you— ...Doing?!
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